The Shad Festival PARADE Saturday morning is always the biggest entertainment during the annual festival, but plenty of music and dance events are on the schedule too. Click on the little fish labeled Schedule for details of hours and locations for these events.

Here is what is planned for 2008:

The MISS GRIFTON PAGEANT will be Saturday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the Grifton School auditorium. The winner will present awards to winners of other Shad Festival events and then represent Grifton all year at other parades, pageants and public events.

Two new events on the Town Common will be Elvis and Tim McGraw impersonators. The ELVIS-JOHN PARRIS SHOW will be Saturday, April 19, from 1-2 p.m. and Sunday, April 20, from noon to 1 p.m. The Tim McGraw impersonator, TIM HAIR, will perform Saturday from 2 to 3 p.m.

PACTOLUS STEEL BAND will give a Band Concert on Saturday, April 19, at noon to 1 p.m. at the Town Common stage.

LATIN MUSIC AND DANCES: Back by popular demand is Latin music on Sunday afternoon. SALSA music, lessons and dancing will be from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Town Common with Procopio Serrano teaching at 1 p.m. and DeeJay Ramon providing the lively music. Then at 3 p.m. a special treat: BALLET FOLKLORICO ESPIRITU LATINO, a troupe of Mexican dancers in colorful costumes dancing traditional dances of the Jalisco and Nuevo Leon areas of Mexico.

CLOGGERS: The Green Grass Cloggers will give two shows on Saturday afternoon (1-1:30 and 2-2:30 p.m.), accompanied by the Boys from Carolina BLUEGRASS band at the Queen Street Performance Area (CB’s Service Station). The Boys from Carolina will play before and after the clogging downtown, and from 4-5 p.m. they will entertain at the Grifton Civic Center.

LINE DANCERS: On Saturday afternoon will be two line dance groups, the Carolina Girls and Shimmy Shakerz. The Shimmy Shakerz will perform at the Town Common stage from 11:30 a.m. to noon and the Carolina Girls will perform at the Queen Street Performance Area (CB’s Service Center) from 1:30 to 2 p.m.

GRIFTON SHAD IDOL TALENT SHOW begins at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Town Common stage. Cash prizes for winners. Select your performance time by calling Melissa at 252-814-3985 (cell).

MUSIC AT THE MINIPARK from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Mattie’s Minipark will again feature Anthony Gonzales with his wide selection of CDs and featuring area church GOSPEL GROUPS.

Saturday night’s STREET DANCE (7-11 p.m.) band will be Rhythm Street with Nicky Harris.

Other non-musical entertainment includes FISHY TALES Storytelling (or Liar’s) Contest at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening, April 15, at the Grifton School cafeteria with free T-shirts for contestants, trophies for winners and cash prizes for organizations. SHAD-O (bingo on special cards) will be Friday night, April 18, from 7-9:30 p.m., also at the Grifton School cafeteria.

PURPLE the CLOWN will entertain with balloon sculptures and Magic Shows both Saturday and Sunday afternoons downtown.

CHILDREN’S CRAFTS sponsored by Home Depot of Greenville will be both Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the Town Common area, and FACE PAINTING will be there too, near the PONY RIDES and PETTING ZOO. Youngsters can also “fish” for prizes in a pool provided by ECU students who will also teach how to tie fishing flies at CATCH IT ON THE FLY.

A CLIMBING WALL and CARNIVAL RIDES will offer thrills, and tournaments in BASKETBALL FREE THROW and SHAD TOSS (throwing real fish) and CASTING COMPETITION both Saturday and Sunday will award trophies in various age groups.

If you have a canoe, kayak or other boat, bring it to the Shad Festival and enjoy going out on CONTENTNEA CREEK. The boat landing is only one block from the GRIFTON HISTORICAL MUSEUM and ART SHOW.

The Grifton Shad Festival means family fun for all ages and interests!